Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Dekkicker’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Dekkicker’, characterized by its pompon-type inflorescences with yellow green-colored ray florets; strong and upright flowering stems; freely flowering habit; early and uniform flowering response; and good postproduction longevity;

Botanical designation: Chrysanthemum×morifolium.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DEKKICKER’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum×morifolium, commercially grown as a cut flower and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Dekkicker’.

The new Chrysanthemum is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Hensbroek, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new freely flowering pompon-type Chrysanthemum cultivars with unique ray floret coloration and excellent postproduction longevity.

The new Chrysanthemum originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Hensbroek, The Netherlands on Dec. 12, 2005 of a proprietary selection of Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number 41778, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number 04.42289.13, not patented. The new Chrysanthemum was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Hensbroek, The Netherlands on May 18, 2006.

Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum by terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Hensbroek, The Netherlands since Jun. 2, 2006, has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Dekkicker’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Dekkicker’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum:

-   -   1. Pompon-type inflorescences with yellow green-colored ray         florets.     -   2. Strong and upright flowering stems.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Early and uniform flowering response; plants flower about 49         days after the start of photoinductive treatments.     -   5. Good postproduction longevity; plants maintain good substance         for about two to three weeks in an interior environment.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have larger leaves than         plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have darker yellow         green-colored ray florets than plants of the female parent         selection.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have larger leaves than         plants of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum and the male parent selection         differ in inflorescence form as plants of the male parent         selection have semi-double type inflorescences.     -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have darker yellow         green-colored ray florets than plants of the male parent         selection.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Dekchironne’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,274. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Hensbroek, The Netherlands, plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of ‘Dekchironne’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were more vigorous than         plants of ‘Dekchironne’.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had shorter and broader         leaves than plants of ‘Dekchironne’.     -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had darker green-colored         leaves than plants of ‘Dekchironne’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Chrysanthemum. These photographs show the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Chrysanthemum.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering stem of ‘Dekkicker’ grown as a spray type.

The photograph on the second sheet comprises close-up views of the upper and lower surfaces of typical inflorescences and leaves of ‘Dekkicker’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the winter and early spring in Hensbroek, The Netherlands, under commercial practice in a glass-covered greenhouse. Plants were initially given 16 days of long day/short night treatments followed by short day/long night treatments to induce flower initiation and development. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 25° C., night temperatures ranged from 20° C. to 22° C. and light levels were about 7 kilolux. Plants were pinched one time and were nine weeks from planting when the photographs and the description were taken.

-   Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Dekkicker’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number 41778,             not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number             04.42289.13, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About four to six days at 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About 13 to 15 days at             20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; light brown in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching, moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Appearance/growth habit.—Herbaceous pompon-type cut flower             that is typically grown as a spray-type. Moderately vigorous             growth habit.         -   Flowering stem description.—Aspect: Erect. Length: About             60 cm. Spray diameter: About 15 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm to             6 mm. Lateral branch length: About 15 cm. Internode length:             About 3 cm to 4 cm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous;             longitudinally ridged. Color: Close to 146B.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate; simple. Length:             About 6.5 cm to 12 cm. Width: About 4.5 cm to 6.5 cm. Apex:             Cuspidate. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Palmately lobed; sinuses             divergent. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent,             slightly rough; veins prominent on lower surface. Venation             pattern: Pinnate, reticulate. Color: Developing foliage,             upper surface: Close to 137B to 137C. Developing foliage,             lower surface: Close to 147B. Fully expanded foliage, upper             surface: Close to 147A; venation, close to 146B. Fully             expanded foliage, lower surface: Close to 147B; venation,             146B to 146C. Petiole: Length: About 5 mm to 15 mm.             Diameter: About 3 mm to 5 mm. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Slightly rough. Color, upper surface: Close to             148B. Color, lower surface: Close to 146B. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Pompon-type inflorescence form with oval to             obovate-shaped ray florets. Inflorescences borne on             terminals, arising from leaf axils. Ray and disc florets             develop acropetally on a capitulum. Inflorescences             moderately fragrant.         -   Flowering response.—Under natural conditions, plant flower             in the autumn/winter in the Northern Hemisphere. At other             times of the year, inflorescence initiation and development             can be induced under short day/long night conditions (at             least 13.5 hours of darkness). Early and uniform flowering             response; plants exposed to 18 days of long day/short night             conditions after planting followed by photoinductive short             day/long night conditions flower about 49 days later when             grown as a spray-type.         -   Postproduction longevity.—In an interior environment,             inflorescences and foliage will maintain good color and             substance for about 18 days. Inflorescences persistent.         -   Quantity of inflorescences.—Freely flowering habit; when             grown as a spray type, about 12 inflorescences per flowering             stem develop.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 3.5 cm. Depth (height):             About 1.5 cm. Disc diameter: About 2 mm. Receptacle height:             About 4 mm. Receptacle diameter: About 8 mm. Receptacle             color: Close to 145B.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Shape: Flattened spherical. Height:             About 3 mm. Diameter: About 7 mm. Color: Close to 137C.         -   Ray florets.—Length: About 1 cm to 1.5 cm. Width: About 3 mm             to 6 mm. Shape: Oval to obovate; spoon-like. Apex:             Emarginate. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Angle:             Initially upright to close to about 900 from vertical.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous, satiny.             Number per inflorescence: About 225 arranged in about ten             whorls. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to 150B.             When opening, lower surface: Close to 145A. Fully opened,             upper surface: Close to 154C; color becoming closer to 154C             to 154D with development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close             to 150B; color becoming closer to 150C with development.         -   Disc florets.—Shape: Fused tubular, elongated. Apex:             Dentate. Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Number             per inflorescence: About ten, massed at the center. Color,             immature: Apex: Close to 145A. Mid-section: Close to 145C.             Base: Close to 145D. Color, mature: Apex: Close to 5B.             Mid-section and base: Close to 145D.         -   Involucral bracts.—Length: About 5 mm to 8 mm. Width: About             3 mm to 5 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Obtuse to             truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous. Number per inflorescence: About 25             arranged in about two to three whorls. Color, upper surface:             Close to 143A. Color, lower surface: Close to 137C to 137D.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 4 cm to 14 cm. Diameter: About             3 mm. Angle: Erect to about 30° from vertical. Strength:             Strong. Texture: Slightly pubescent; longitudinally ridged.             Color: Close to 146B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Not observed. Gynoecium:             Present on both ray and disc florets. Style length: About             4 mm. Style color: Close to 145D. Stigma color: Close to 2A.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to     Chrysanthemums has not been observed on plants grown under     commercial conditions. 

1. A new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Dekkicker’ as illustrated and described. 